Patent Reference 1 has disclosed such a type of conventional shield connector. As shown in FIG. 22, a cable side connector of the shield connector is formed of a connector housing 70, a terminal unit 72 connected to a shield cable 71, and a retainer 73.
The connector housing 70 is provided with a terminal attaching portion 74 on a front surface portion thereof and a cable insertion portion 75 at a rear side thereof, respectively. A lock portion (not shown) is provided outside the connector housing 70.
The terminal unit 72 is formed of an insulating block 78 having a plurality of contact attaching hole portions 78a; a shield member 79; a shield cover 80; and a plurality of contacts (not shown). The contacts are connected to end portions of a plurality of core wires of the shield cable 71. The contacts are connected to the contact attaching hole portions 78a of the insulating block 78.
The terminal unit 72 is inserted and fixed to the terminal attaching portion 74 from a side of the cable insertion portion 75 of the connector housing 70. The shield cable 71 is laid along the cable insertion portion 75. In this state, the retainer 73 covers the cable insertion portion 75. The retainer 73 holds the terminal unit 72 from behind. The terminal unit 72 covered with the shield member 79 is inserted into the connector housing 70, thereby constituting an engaging portion of a mating connector.
[Patent Reference 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-133386
The cable side connector of the conventional shield connector includes the terminal unit 72 connected to the shield cable 71; the shield member 79 and the shield cover 80 covering the terminal unit 72; the connector housing 70 receiving and engaging the terminal unit 72; and the retainer 73 fixed to the connector housing 70 for holding the terminal unit 72 from behind. The terminal unit 72 covered with the shield member 79 is inserted into the connector housing 70 to constitute the engaging portion of the mating connector. The lock portion is provided outside the connector housing. Accordingly, a whole size of the cable side connector tends to increase.